Generally, the use of automatic processors is increasing from the viewpoints of rapid processing, simplicity and handling in the processing of silver halide photographic materials. Further, a large amount of sulfites is used in the developing solutions in the processing of black and white photographic materials to keep the development activity of the developing solutions, that is, to minimize the oxidation of the developing solutions by air.
The demand of rapid processing has been increased in recent years. The activity of the developing solutions must be increased to carry out rapid processing. When the concentrations of developing agents are increased or when the pH of the developing solutions are raised, the activity of the developing solutions can be increased. However, the developing solutions are greatly deteriorated by oxidation by air and it is difficult to keep the activity of the developing solutions.
Generally, sulfites are added to the developing solutions to keep the activity of the developing solutions. However, when silver halide photographic materials are processed with the developing solutions containing compounds having a function capable of dissolving silver halide, such as the sulfites, a large amount of a silver complex is dissolved out from the silver halide photographic materials into the developing solutions. The silver complex dissolved out from the photographic materials into the developing solutions is reduced by the developing agents, and silver is deposited and accumulated on the walls of the developing tanks or trays, or on the walls of the developing tank of the automatic processors, the rolls thereof, etc. The deposited silver is called silver stain or silver sludge and further deposited on the photographic materials to be processed to thereby stain images. Accordingly, the maintenance of apparatuses must be made by washing periodically them.
Accordingly, when the amount of the sulfite is increased to keep the activity of the developing solutions, the amount of the silver complex dissolved out from the photographic materials into the developing solutions is increased, and the degree of silver stain is increased. Hence, there is a disadvantage that a merit in rapid processing can not be fully used.
Conventional methods for reducing silver stain include those wherein compounds capable of decreasing the amount of silver ion dissolved out and/or inhibiting the reduction of silver ion to silver are added as described in JP-A-56-24347 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"), JP-B-56-46585 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") and JP-B-62-2849. However, these compounds have an effect of retarding development itself or are oxidized by air and rapidly lose their effet, and hence these compounds are not considered to be satisfactory silver stain inhibitors.
Scanner systems are widely used in the field of printing plate making. Various recording apparatuses using image forming methods according to the scanner systems are proposed.
Light sources for use in the recording of these scanner system recording apparatuses include glow lamp, xenon lamp, tungsten lamp, LED, He-He laser, argon laser and semiconductor laser.
Light-sensitive materials in this field must be spectral-sensitized (by adding dyes) to adjust spectral sensitivity to the wavelength of light emitted from the above light sources. Further, various dyes are generally added to the light-sensitive materials to ensure safety under safelight or to prevent irradiation or halation.
When reflection supports are used, an image is usually formed on a white ground, and a residual color resulting from the use of dyes or spectral sensitizing dyes is noticeable in comparison with transparent supports.
Rapid processing has been demanded in the field of printing industry in recent years to shorten the delivery time. Residual color is a serious problem caused by rapid processing.
Residual color can be reduced by decreasing the amount of the binder in the light-sensitive material (particularly protective layer). However, the amount of silver dissolved out from the light-sensitive material into the developing solution is increased, and silver sludge deposited on the rollers of the automatic processor is transferred to the light-sensitive material. namely, there is a disadvantage that silver stain is worsened.